Tool for making flexible crimped tubes from pliable sheet material

ABSTRACT

The method, tool and ornamental article made thereby of pliable sheet material formed and crumpled into a flexible crimped tube. The tool is a sleeve with a flanged end, and a rod slideably received therein. A sheet is wrapped about the sleeve as a gauge to form a hollow open-ended tube which is removed and then crumpled on the rod by the sleeve&#39;&#39;s flanged end forcefully sliding therealong to crease a relatively regular crimp pattern of substantially diamond shapes.

United States Patent Higa Aug. 22, 1972 [54] TOOL FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE CRIMPED TUBES FROM PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL [21] Appl. No.: 881,481

[52] US. Cl ..93/1.5, 93/59 PL, 93/84 TW,

93/94 FC v [51] Int. Cl. ..B31c 13/00, B3ld 5/04, A4lg 1/04 [58] Field of Search....93/l.5, 59 CE, 84 TW, 94 FC,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,339,004 8/1967 Nardone ..93/84TW 662,368 11/1900 Wetzel ..93/94 FC 735,778 8/1903 Kenney ..93/94 FC 1,810,837 6/1931 MacElhone ..93/94 FC l I I -I I I 1,888,197 11/1932 Hoeflich ..93/l.5 3,314,451 4/1967 Heupgen ..138/177 3,505,931 4/ 1970 Voss ..93/94 FC 2,054,024 9/ 1936 Pye ..93/59 PL FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7/1951 France ..93/94 FC Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr. Attorney-Lawrence S. Galka ABSTRACT The method, tool and ornamental article made thereby of pliable sheet material formed and crumpled into a flexible crimped tube. The tool is a sleeve with a flanged end, and a rod slideably received therein. A sheet is wrapped about the sleeve as a gauge to form a hollow open-ended tube which is removed and then crumpled on the rod by the sleeves flanged end forcefully sliding therealong to crease a relatively regular crimp pattern of substantially diamond shapes.

3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures TOOL FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE CRIMPED TUBES FROM PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ornamental articles have been produced from pliable sheet material, such as paper, by various techniques in the past, origame and paper-mache, to name a few. Past techniques, for the most part, are rather complex and require a considerable degree of artistic ability,

particularly when compound curves are desired.

Furthermore, there has been a lack of flexibility in three dimensional articles produced from paper and similar sheet materials. Collapsible honey-comb structures of cut and glued tissue are resorted to for mass produced flexible ornamental articles as those commonly used in holiday displays, etc. Special and complex machinery is, of course, necessary. Scoring of formed paper cylinders, as the flexible drinking straw and collapsible cardboard oil can, has provided a degree of flexibility, however, of only limited and specific purposes. Again scoring requires some precision and special complex machinery attendant thereto. Finally, past three dimensional display articles, and the like, of pliable material have required an interior support framework.

New and simplified methods, tools and ornamental articles are required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, to overcome the foregoing and other dif ficulties of the prior art, it is the general overall object of this invention to provide a novel omamentalarticle of pliable sheet material made by a simplified tool and method. To this end, the tool is a sleeve with a flanged end, and a rod slideably received therein. Pliable sheet material, for example,'newsprint, is wrapped about the outer sleeve surface as a guide to form a hollow openended tube. The tube ends may be squared by abutment against the inner surface of the sleeve flange and an outer sheet edge is adhered along the tube wall. The tube is removed from the sleeve and the rod inserted for crumpling therealong of the tube by the outer flange surface of the sleeve which is forcefully slid along the rod. An attractive and relatively regular crimp pattern of diamond shapes results and allows a high degree of flexibility in almost any direction.

Thus, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a flexible crimped tube of pliable sheet material.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple tool and method requiring minimal skill for making flexible crimped tubes.

Another object is the utilization of inexpensive materials, such as newsprint, for making ornamental articles.

Still another object is the crumpling of tubular structures into creases defining a relatively regular crimp pattern of substantially diamond shapes for flexibility and attractive appearance.

Also, an object of this invention is the formation of pliable sheet material into a flexible basic ornamental article which is easily bent, molded, cut, and twisted Yet another object is the provision of a flexible I crimped cylinder which is ornamental and adaptable as a package.

Further and other objects, and a more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that this invention is not necessarily limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities there shown.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are perspective views illustrating steps in the method, as well as the novel tool and ornamental article formed thereby of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the invented ornamental article.

FIG. 5 is an end view of an ornamental article of the present invention revealing the interior cross-section.

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation of the invented ornamental article showing details of the crimp pattern.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the ornamental article conformed into a useful shape demonstrating flexibility.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a plurality of combined ornamental articles of the invention, as an example of versatility in ornamental displays.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views of alternate cross-sections of the invented ornamental article.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, an illustration of the invented method and tool, as well as the novel ornamental article formed thereby, which article is indicated generally by the numeral 20.

A tool is provided by a hollow sleeve member 30 and a rod member 40. Sleeve 30 includes a tubular body portion 32 of a regular cross-section, for example, the circular cross-section illustrated. Body portion 32 may be of plastic, metal, cardboard, or the like, with a wall 33 of thickness providing stiffness and rigidity. As an example, a wall 33 of approximately one-eighth inch is sufficient for a sleeve 30 with an CD. of 1-6/8 inch. Preferably, both inside and outside surfaces34, 35 of body portion'32 are smooth and regular. Surface 35 defines a gauge for formation of the ornamental article 20. A permanently affixed flange 36 is provided at one end of sleeve 30, as shown. Flange 36 may be glued, welded, soldered, etc., dependent upon the material, or on the other hand, may be integrally formed with tubular body portion 32. An inner abutment surface 37 and an outer surface 38 are presented by opposed sides of flange 36 at a perpendicular disposition to the gauge surface 35.

Rod 40 is preferably solid and of a length greater than that of sleeve 30. It is further desired that rod surface 42 be smooth. The rod cross-section must correspond to that of the sleeve 30 and be smaller in size to allow a somewhat loose, yet slideable reception therein. A solid wooden cylinder with a painted and waxed surface 42 and an CD. of approximately 1-9/16 inch has worked well with the sleeve of the above described example. At least one of the rod ends 44, 46 should be squared for engagement on a flat bearing surface 50.

The described tool is utilized in a novel method of making ornamental articles, as may be visualized by reference to the steps illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. Step one is to form a sheet 60 of pliable material, such asnewsprint, into a hollow open-ended tube 65. Tube 65 may be a plurality of wraps tightly formed about gauge surface 35 and squared against abutment surface 37. About 5 wraps is excellent for a tube 65 of newsprint. Of course, the number of wraps may vary according to different materials. It is likewise to be understood, that a plurality of sheets 60 may be formed together into a single tube 65. For example, an outer sheet of colored tissue or fancy paper may be used over sheets of newsprint. Outer sheet edge 62 may be adhered -along the wall 67 of tube 65, as shown, by well known methods suitable to the particular material of sheet 60, such as gluing or taping. Inner edge 61 need not be adhered and is preferably left free.

The formed tube 65 is removed from sleeve 30 by sliding outwardly away from flange 36. Rod 40 is inserted into the tube 65, as in FIG. 2.

In the final step of FIG. 3, the tube 65 is crumpled along rod 40 between the outer surface 38 of flange 36 and the surface 50. Sleeve 30 is forcefully slid along the rod 40, in the direction of the arrow. Guidance of rod 40 insures that crumpling is longitudinally to tube 65. The length of tube 65 is shortened and wall 67 inwardly and outwardly creased in a relatively regular crimp pattern, described below. The pattern and its regularity are in accordance to an inward deformation limit of rod surface 42 inside tube 65 and even pressure distribution between flange 36 and surface 50.

The resulting ornamental article is the flexible crimped tube shown in FIG. 4. The crimp pattern, shown in the detail of FIG. 6, is of substantially diamond shapes 70. It is to be understood that the crimp pattern is not perfectly regular with exact equalsized diamonds. Variances in thickness and flaws in the material of sheet 60 preclude such exact results. However, the relative regularity and substantial equality of the diamond shapes 70 is surprising and indeed attractive. The pattern is made up of inward creases 75 and outward creases 76. The inward creases 75 are spaced apart from one another and are normal to the length of the ornamental article 20. Outward creases 76, on the other hand, are at acute angles to inward creases 75 and to one another, and intersect to define common sides of adjacent diamond shapes 70, as may be visualized by reference to FIG. 6. In the cylindrical article 20, illustrated, it is to be noted that inward creases 75 define a polygon at the interior cross-section, as shown at FIG. 5.

Other cross-sectional shapes may be formed, such as the oval in FIG. 9, and the square of FIG. 10, dependent upon the cross-section of sleeve and rod chosen. Different ornamental effects may be accomplished by each particular cross-section. For example, the crimped tubes are extremely flexible and opposite ends 25 thereof may be joined to form the donut shape of FIG. 7. Or a plurality of tubes 20 may be joined into an ornamental shape, such as that the coil shape of FIG. 8. The shapes are useful as ornamental decorations, favors and packages.

It is noted that there must be some space between the tube 65 and rod 40. Otherwise, if tube 65 were tightly wrapped about rod 40, the crumpling would be hindered and would damage the materials by tearing. On the other extreme, if too loose, say without any rod 40 at all, the crumpling would be completely haphazard, without any degree of regularity. A medium condition is required, that is sufficiently loose to allow easy crumpling, yet having an inward crease limitation and vertical guidance for even pressured distribution, provided by rod 40. It has been found that by using the outer surface 35 of the sleeve 30, as a guide, that the ideal condition can be achieved by trial and error for a particular sheet material and number of wraps thereof.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broad aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of theinvention:

I claim:

1. A hand tool for forming pliable sheet material into tubes and for crimping each tube along the total length thereof, said tool comprising a rod having a given length and a given cross-sectional configuration, a hollow sleeve having a wall thickness sufficient to provide a substantially stiff and rigid sleeve, the outer surface of the sleeve wall defining an outer gauge surface of tubular configuration on which a hollow open-ended tube of pliable sheet material with a given inner cross-sectional extent is formed by wrapping pliable sheet material about said gauge surface, said sleeve having first and second ends, said first end of said sleeve being unobstructed to permit easy slidable removal from said sleeve of of each tube formed on said sleeve, and a flange which is fixed to and which extends outwardly from said second end beyond said gauge surface so as to provide an inner abutment surface which is perpendicular to and contiguous to said gauge surface and which receives thereagainst the end edge of a sheet of pliable material when the material is being formed into a tube thereby to square the end edge of the tube during the formation thereof, said flange also providing an outer bearing surface at said second end of said sleeve for applying even pressure against one end edge of a tube during the crimping thereof, said rod having a smooth outer surface and being of a cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of said sleeve, the cross-sectional extent of said outer surface of said sleeve relative to the cross-sectional extent of said rod being such that the inner cross-sectional extent of a tube formed on said sleeve is greater than the cross-sectional extent of said rod to permit the tube easily to be fitted over said rod, and is sufficiently greater than said cross-sectional extent of said rod so as to permit generally unhindered crumpling of a tube without tearing when the tube is crumpled on said rod, but not so great as to result in haphazard irregular crumpling of each tube, at least one end of said rod being squared and flattened to permit said one end to rest on a flat surface, said outer surface of said rod providing a vertical guide surface with the space between the inside of a tube and said guide surface defining an inward deformation limitation space which limits the inward extent of the inward creases of a tube and the engagement of the inward creases with said guide surface during crumpling of the tube such that said outer surface of said rod provides vertical guidance for'the tube during crumpling thereof, the vertical guidance enhancing even pressure distribution on the tube during crumpling thereof on said rod, crumpling being effected between said flange and the flat surface when the tube, after it is removed from the sleeve, is placed over said rod with one end edge of the tube and said one end of said rod resting on the flat surface and an operator firmly grips said outer surface of said sleeve,

with said sleeve positioned over said rod and with said flange positioned to engage the other end edge of the tube, and pushes said sleeve and flange downwardly toward the flat surface thereby crumpling the tube, and the crumpling being such that the tube has outward and inward creases defining a substantially regular crimp pattern resulting in an ornamental flexible tube crimped along the total length thereof.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve is cylindrical and said cross-section of said rod is circular with a diameter less than that of said sleeve.

3. A hand tool according to claim 1 wherein said rod is solid and said sleeve is open throughout to enable a complete crushing and crumpling of said tube. 

1. A hand tool for forming pliable sheet material into tubes and for crimping each tube along the total length thereof, said tool comprising a rod having a given length and a given crosssectional configuration, a hollow sleeve having a wall thickness sufficient to provide a substantially stiff and rigid sleeve, the outer surface of the sleeve wall defining an outer gauge surface of tubular configuration on which a hollow open-ended tube of pliable sheet material with a given inner cross-sectional extent is formed by wrapping pliable sheet material about said gauge surface, said sleeve having first and second ends, said first end of said sleeve being unobstructed to permit easy slidable removal from said sleeve of each tube formed on said sleeve, and a flange which is fixed to and which extends outwardly from said second end beyond said gauge surface so as to provide an inner abutment surface which is perpendicular to and contiguous to said gauge surface and which receives thereagainst the end edge of a sheet of pliable material when the material is being formed into a tube thereby to square the end edge of the tube during the formation thereof, said flange also providing an outer bearing surface at said second end of said sleeve for applying even pressure against one end edge of a tube during the crimping thereof, said rod having a smooth outer surface and being of a cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of said sleeve, the crosssectional extent of said outer surface of said sleeve relative to the cross-sectional extent of said rod being such that the inner cross-sectional extent of a tube formed on said sleeve is greater than the cross-sectional extent of said rod to permit the tube easily to be fitted over said rod, and is sufficiently greater than said cross-sectional extent of said rod so as to permit generally unhindered crumpling of a tube without tearing when the tube is crumpled on said rod, but not so great as to result in haphazard irregular crumpling of each tube, at least one end of said rod being squared and flattened to permit said one end to rest on a flat surface, said outer surface of said rod providing a vertical guide surface with the space between the inside of a tube and said guide surface defining an inward deformation limitation space which limits the inward extent of the inward creases of a tube and the engagement of the inward creases with said guide surface during crumpling of the tube such that said outer surface of said rod provides vertical guidance for the tube during crumpling thereof, the vertical guidance enhancing even pressure distribution on the tube during crumpling thereof on said rod, crumpling being effected between said flange and the flat surface when the tube, after it is removed from the sleeve, is placed over said rod with one end edge of the tube and said one end of said rod resting on the flat surface and an operator firmly grips said outer surface of said sleeve, with said sleeve positioned over said rod and with said flange positioned to engage the other end edge of the tube, and pushes said sleeve and flange downwardly toward the flat surface thereby crumpling the tube, and the crumpling being such that the tube has outward and inward creases defining a substantially regular crimp pattern resulting in an ornamental flexible tube crimped along the total length thereof.
 2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve is cylindrical and said cross-section of said rod is circular with a diameter less than that of said sleeve.
 3. A hand tool according to claim 1 wherein said rod is solid and said sleeve is open throughout to enable a complete crushing and crumpling of said tube. 